Wheeled scraper.



J. E. ADAMS WHEELED SCRAPER.

APPucATmN FILED FEB. 12, 1915.

Llmm Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

simi/hmm@ @MMM LE. ADAMS.

WHEELED SCRAPER.

APPLICATION FILED EEB. I2. I9I5.

l @@,5 5?., Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HIL: cuLUMuIA PLANOGRAPM co., WASHINGTON, u. c.

llNllFl rl fl @Fllflllm JOSEPH E. ADAMS, OF LAMBETI-IVILLE, ARKANSAS.

WHEELED SCRAPER.

Application led February 12, 1915.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. ADAMS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lambethville, in the county of Crittenden and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful improvements vin l/Vheeled Scrapers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wheeled Scrapers of the character used as interpositioned upon a reelable flexible circuit and is more particularly concerned with the provision of a scraper of this type which shall be readily controllable by an operator with regard to the course taken, and the depth to which the scraper plows, as well as being manually releasable to dump immediately and operable generally in anautomatic manner. f

Objects of a more specific nature are concerned with the provision of special means accomplishing the foregoing and it is aimed in particular to so correlate the elements as to render a scraper of this type capable of being cheaply manufactured as well as durable, efficient and economical in operation.

The above and additional objects which will become apparent as this explanatory description proceeds, are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

lith reference to the drawings, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiment of this invention as it is reduced to practice and throughout the several views of which like characters of reference designate similar parts: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the scraper per se, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same matter', Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view upon an enlarged scale showing the particular construction of the frame members, Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the scraping member, Fig. 5 is a similar view of the steering wheel and its connections, Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the operation of one of the catches, and Fig. 7 is a detail of the guard means for the return portion of the circuit.

Referring primarily to the particular construction of the scraper, the numeral 10 designates the main .axle thereof which is Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916..

Serial No. 7,835.

of the inverted U-shape illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 having its extremities horizontally bent as at 11 to support the wheels 12. rllhe frame of the vehicle includes chiefiy the side bars 13 which clampingly secure the axle 10 upon the lowermost vertical portion as designated by the numeral 14, such side frames extending rearwardly and being united by the arcuate portion 15 mounted on which is the operators platform 16. At the forward edge of this platform 16 and embracing the lateral frames 13 are upstanding ears 1 7 in which are pivotally mounted by pins 18 side bars 19 extending forwardly to similarly mount in the pivotal manner, ears 2O carried to project laterally from the scraper body 21. The bars 19 norinally rest upon the upper edges of the members 13 and it is apparent that the scraper body is thus mounted for swinging movement both with respect to the bars and through them with respect to the scraper frame.

As particularly illustrated in Fig. 6, the rearward portion of the frame is supported by means of a guiding wheel 22 which is rotatably mounted in the U-shaped guides 23 by means of the stub axle 24.- extending through such guides. These latter are spaced laterally a sufficient distance to freely accommodate the wheel 22 and are in turn mounted upon a rim 25 of a fifth wheel 26 which is rotatably supported with respect to the platform 16 by the hammer pin 27 shown in Fig. 3. Means controlling movement of the wheel 26 and consequently similarly capable of steering the scraper as a whole, include the vertical steering rod 28 mounted for movement in a longitudinal vertical plane with respect to the scraper by ears 29, such lever extending through the platform 16 to engage one extremity of the connecting rod 30, the opposite end of which is suitably secured to the wheel 26.

Referring more particularly to the scrap-` ing mechanism, it will be seen that the body 21 is of a rectangular shape in cross section but open at its top and forward ends, in order to receive material gathered up by the plowing fingers 31 of the scraper member proper 32. This latter is supported upon the divergent extremities 33 of a second frame '34, which latter is pivotally supported by the frame 35 assisted by braces 36, the former having their outer extremities also pvoted at -at 37 to the ears 20 of the scraper body 21, which ears are shown detached from the body in Fig. 3, to which attention is directed in this connection. The scraping member 32 is substantially rectangular in plan as shown in Fig. 4 but has diverging upwardly bent sides 32 to support plows 38 secured in the corner brackets 40 carried by said scraping member 32. A reinforcing bottom scraper plate 39 protects and supplements the action of the fingers 31. Ears 40 are formed upon the forward extremities of this member to pivotally mount therein the arcuate tongue or yoke member 41.

The scraper member 32 has the rearwardly extending edge 42 which is so arranged with respect to the body 21 as to enter and overlap the forward lower edge of such body so that when the rear portion of th@ scraper is depressed the plow lingers and plows will be elevated from contact with the ground, although independent raising of the rear end of the body 21 may be assured, or checked, by means manually operable from the platform 16. This last named means includes a stand.'- ard 43 at the upper portion of which are ears 44 to rotatably mount a pinion 45 andl shaft 46, the latter bearing the hand wheel 47 whereby movement of the pinion is controlled. Vertically slidable through the ears 44 is a rack 4S adapted to mesh with the pinion 45 and to be controlled thereby, the lower portion of the rack being connected by any suitable link 49 with an ear 50 formed at the center of the rearward frame 51 connecting the lateral frame members 34. Qatch means are also to be associated with this l mentioned frame 51 for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth, suchcatch comprising a lever 52 intermediately pivoted as at 53 and provided at itslowermost ex-` tremity with the lug 54 engageable with the rear frame 51 to unite movement of the scraper body 21 therewith. As anbperating means for this locking lever is the similarly intermediately pivoted lever 55 and including parallel rod members connected yat the lower extremities by a transverse rod 5G adapted to exert a sliding contact upon the rear of the lever 52 and above the pivotpoint of the latterwhen the second described lever is operated. It may be rhere noted that the upper extremity of thislever 55 formsthe termini for the cable or flexible means 57 cuit in themanner illustrated in Fig. 2 passing through an eyelet 64 supported above the extremity 11 of the axle by a rod 65.

Centrally of the arcuate yoke 41 is a locking casing 66 which is semicircular in cross section and provided at one extremity with a cap 67. An L-shaped lever 68 is adapted to enter this casing from above and is intermediately supported by a pair of links 69 themselves pivoted as indicated at 70 to suitable ears 71 securely attached to the upper portion of the yoke member. Then resting inA the position illustrated in Fig. 1,

the locking lever 68 engages with a suitable bail or like device 72 wliich'is shown 1n its withdrawn position in Fig. 2 but which normally is carried upon the cable 57 within the casing and engages with the locking lever so that a pull upon the portion of the cable 57 extended through the locking casing 66 will be transmitted through the lock directly tothe yoke frame 41 and thence to the vehicle without operating upon the lever 55. A flexible releasing connection 73 is attached to the free extremity of the locking lever 68 and leads back to the operators platform so that a pull upon the latch cord will straighten the links 69 and lever 68 with respect to the pivoting point so that the locking extremity of the lever will be released from its engagement with the bail 72 permitting thisv latter to pass through thc casing-when operating upon the lever in the manner. to be hereinafter more exactly detailed.

In operation, whenthe wheelediscraper of thisinvention isto be used in the construction of an embankment, the usual postsy 6() are located upon the opposite sides of the borrow-pit andk av line stretched between suclrposts parallel to the embankment. The pulley running vfreely upon the base line just mentioned permits of: a wide range of dumping-.points to be selected bythe operator occupying the platform 16 and directingthe course of hisvehicle-by means of the steering lever 28. The circuit as already explained travels about the pulley and the eppo-sitewinding drums ofthe tractioirengine or other power device 5S, usually located upon the opposite slope of the embankment being built, andterminates at the points 61 and62 upon the lockinglever 55. The operator having scooped from the pit alf/ull loadof material to form the embankment by regulating the engagement of the plows with the ground through the medium of the rack 48 and its connections steers the machine to its point of dumping and, ar-

rivingthereat, pulls the releasing rope 73 V topermit a pulltobe exerted upon the lever when the bail 72 slips through the locking casing 66. This pull, in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 6 at once releases the catch point54 of the locking lever from madam engagement with the frame 51 and the pull continuing' the scraper body is rotated upon its pivoting ears 20 and the point 37 until extensions 74 secured rearwardly of the body contact with the upper line of the axle l0 and serve to pull the scraper bodily upward by the leverage exerted by these extensions upon the axle, such movement beingpermitted by the pivoted arms 19 which assume the position illustrated in Fig. 3. This composite dumping movement of the body permits the same to readily dump its entire load in one spot and to pass over the point of dumping without meeting any obstruction. Once the dumping of' the scraper has been accomplished the engineer of thc traction engine shuts off the power pulling forwardly upon the strand 61 of the flexible circuit 57 and immediately starts movement of the opposite reel which exerts pull upon the extremity denoted by the numeral 62 so that the scraper is returned to the borrow-pit and the body assumes its normal position, to repeat the operation. Spring means operate to return the lever 52 to its original position after the lever 55 has been first returned by the change of power on the circuit above described while similar means 7G enables the lever 68 to resume its engagement with the bail 72, there being now no strain upon these connections, It should be noted that the pull upon the extremities 61 of the circuit strands necessary for dumping, raises the plows and the yoke and retains the same in slightly raised position to ride over the ground during the return journey to the pit, the plows and the yoke returning to normal position as the scraper begins another journey from the pit to the embankment.

While in the foregoing however, there has thus been illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is desired to emphasize the fact that such minor changes in the matters of proportion and degree may be made in later adaptations of this device as shall not alter the spirit of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is l. A scraper including a wheel supported frame, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a body portion pivoted within said frame and below said axle, extensions carried by said body adapted to contact with said axle upon rotation of the former, and means for rotating said body to afford the same a composite dumping movement thereby.

2. A scraper including a wheel supported frame, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a body portion pivoted within said frame and below said axle, extensions carried by said body adapted to Contact with said axle upon rotation of theformer,

and means for rotating said body to afford' a combined rotational and vertical dumping movement thereto with respect to said frame.

3. A scraper including wheels, an inverte-d U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a frame rigidly connected to said axles, r a guiding wheel supporting said frame, a steering lever for operating said guiding wheel, frame members pivoted to said frame to normally overlie portions thereof, a body pivotally mounted at the extremities of said frame members and below said axle, extensions formed on said body to act as fulcrums upon said axle when rotated into contact therewith, and fiexible means forming a cir cuit between said scraper and reeling devices whereby said scraper is adapted to be drawn, said circuit terminating at said body, and means permitting said flexible means to afford a composite dumping movement to said body, primarily at the extremities of said frame members and subsequently by contact of said extensions with said axle.

-L A. scraper including wheels, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a frame rigidly connected to said axles, a guiding wheel supporting said frame, a steering le-y ver for operating said guide wheel, frame members pivoted to said frame to normally overlie portions thereof, a body piifotally mounted at the extremities of said frame members and below said axle, extensions formed on said body to act as fulcrums upon said axle when rotated into contact therewith, locking means preventing said flexible means from acting directly upon said body when said scraper is in motion, and releasing means for said locking means to permit said flexible means to afford a composite dumping movement to said body, primarily at the extremities of said frame portions and subsequently by contact of said extensions with said axle.

5. A scraper including wheels, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a platform frame rigidly secured to Said axle, a guide wheel rotatably mounted below said frame, a steering lever for said guide wheel, 'frame members pivoted to said frame and adapted to 'normally overlie portions thereof, a body pivotally mounted at thel extremities of said members, a plow frame pivotally associated with said body and said members and also at the extremities of the latter, plow members carried by Said plow frame and forwardly of said body, extensions formed rearwardly of the latter to act as fulcrums upon said axle when rotated into contact therewith, and flexible means completing a circuit between said scraper and reeling devices whereby the scraper permitted, to travel, said circuit terminating at the rear of saidqbody, and saidk flexible means being capable of'aifording said body a composite dumping movement at the extremities of said frame members.

6. A scraper including wheels, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a platform` frame' rigidly secured to said axle, a guide Vwheel rotatablymounted below said frame, a steering lever for saidguide wheel, frame members pivoted to Said frame and adapted to normally overlie portions thereof, a body pivotally mounted at the extremities of said members,a plow frame pivotally associated with said body and said members and also at the extremities of the latter, plow members carried by said plow frame and forwardly of the latter to act as fulcrums upon said axle when rotatedinto contact therewith, flexiblefmeans completing` a circuit between said scraper andi reeling deviceswhereby the scraper is permited, to travel, said circuit terminating at therear of saidfbody, locking means to prevent strain upon said flexible means being transmitted through to said body when the Scraper is being drawn by said devices, and releasing means for said locking means to permit said iiexible means to afford said body a composite dumping movement at the extremities of said members and by secondary association of said body extensions with said axle.

7. A scraper including wheels, an inverted U-shape'd axlemounting saidwheels, a platform frame rigidly secured to said axle, a steering wheel mounted below said frame, members pivoted`4 to said frame and. adapted to normally overlie portions thereof, abody pivotally mounted at the extremities of said members and below said axle, a plow frame pivotally associated with said body and said members and likewise at the extremities of thev latter, plow members carried by said plow frame and forwardly of said body, locking means resiliently coordinating` movements of said body with said. plowframe, extensions formed on said'body to act as fulcrums upon said axle when rotated into contact therewith, ii'exible means completing a circuit between said scraper and reeling devices whereby the scraper ispropelled, said circuit terminating at said lockingl means, second locking means to prevent strain upon Said flexible means being transmitted to first said locking means when the scraper isbeing propelled by said devices, and releasing means for said second locking means to permit said iiexible means to act directly upon the first said locking meansin releasing said body from said plow frame and in affording said body a combined rotation and vertical dumping movement.

8. A scraper including wheels, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting said wheels, a platform frame rigidly secured. to said aXle, a.

steering wheel rotatably mounted below said frame, members pivoted to said f `amc, a body pivotally mounted at the extremities of 'said members and below said axle, a plow frame pivotally associated with said body and said members and likewise at the extremities of the latter, plow members cai'- ried by said plow frame forwardly of said body, a rearward extension of said frame adapted to overlie the forward edge of said body, extensions formed upon sides of the latter to act as fulcrums upon said axle when rotated into contact therewith, a locking lever pivoted to said body for engagement with said plow frame, a controlling lever for said locking lever, fiexible means completing the circuit between said scraper and reeling devices whereby the scraper is propelled, said circuit terminating at the extremity of said controlling lever, a second locking means interposed upon said circuit to pre vent transmission of strain through to said controlling lever when the scraper is being drawn forwardly by said devices, releasing means for said second locking means to permit said controlling lever to be operated by said iiexible means in releasing said body from said plow frame and in affording a composite dumping movement to the latter, and means for raising oi' lowering said body and said plow frame together when cordinated by the action of the first mentioned locking means and said plow frame extension.

9. A scraper including a wheeled supporting frame, an inverted U-shaped axle mounting the wheels of said frame, a body portion pivoted within said frame and below said axle, extensions carried by said body adapted to contact with said axle upon rotation of the former, locking means mounted on said frame to prevent rotation of said body portion for engagement with the lastementioned means, and means for releasing the last-mentioned means.

10. A scraper including a wheeled supporting frame, an inverted U-shaped axle mounted upon the wheels of said frame, sup` porting members pivoted to said frame, a body member pivoted to said supporting members and resting in said U-shaped axle, means carried by said frame and said body member to lock the latter in position, means for releasing said body Amember to permit rotation of the same within said frame, axleengaging members carried by said body member, and scraping means resting upon the open end of said body member.

ll. A scraper including a wheeled frame, an axle mounting the wheels of said frame, said axle having an oliset central portion. supporting means pivoted to said frame, a body memberpivoted upon said supportingl means, scraping means suspended from said supporting means and resting upon one edge of said body member, means for drawing said scraper, and means for releasing said.

from said frame and resting upon one edge of said body member when the latter is in normal position, means for releasing the locking means, and means for rotating said body member and resting the same upon said axle.

In testimony whereof l aix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOSEPH E. ADAMS. Witnesses:

W. A. INGRAM, J. H. ADAMS.

Genies et this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, ID. G. 

